plantation

NEWS

Prof. Paul Thomas (our Managing Director) has appeared on several TV programmes, radio shows and in many written articles. Specific areas of expertise include the biology, cultivation, hunting and cooking methods of the wide range of truffle species. If you would like an interview or require information for an article then please use our contact form and we would be very happy to help.

Below, our most recent news articles are displayed and our back-catalogue is open for browsing.

June 20, 2015

Stella McCartney’s new truffley perfume

Stella McCartney has announced the launch of her latest fragrance, which unusually features truffle as a top note. McCartney’s truffle choice seems surprising to everyone who has smelt truffles before. Master perfumer Jacques Cavallier of Firmenich, who worked with McCartney on her floral signature scent, Stella, explained his surprise at the decision. “The truffle was unusual, but I said OK to Stella” he is quoted as saying.
June 20, 2015

Planting and Tree Deliveries

The prime tree planting time November – March is upon us. Traditionally, November to March are good months to plant, as the trees are dormant and planting in the winter allows the truffley-roots plenty of time to settle in before mycorrhiza and root-growth starts again in spring.
June 19, 2015

The White Truffle Season 2011-2012

The white truffle, the most expensive fungi in the world, is now in season. This rare truffle that is only available for these few months of the year are almost exclusively from one part of Italy. They fetch staggering prices of thousands of pounds per kilo, and are the ultimate culinary luxury. One of the reasons that these truffles are so expensive is that wild harvests continue to decline.
June 19, 2015

Truffle grower’s seminar

Our first annual grower’s seminar was held on the 18th of this November. It was a resounding success and we would like to thank everybody who came. The day started with a presentation by Dr. Paul Thomas and was then filled with plenty of Q and A time. We love meeting fellow truffle enthusiasts and enjoyed the day so much that we are planning to hold two seminars every year from now on. The next one is scheduled for March 2012, if you would like to attend pleaseemailshop@plantationsystems.com
June 19, 2015

Still time to create a plantation this year

If you are interested in creating a truffle plantation please contact us at: invest@plantationsystems.com or Tel: 01422 844095. We will send you a free information pack and provide a free soil test to assess the suitability of the potential site. Now is the perfect time of year to get the ball rolling, as the prime time for truffle tree planting is just around the corner and MSL have trees in stock for planting this season.
June 19, 2015

Could 2011 have two autumns?

The Woodland Trust is calling on the public to help them track the early signs of autumn to see if it is affected by the unusual seasonal events that have taken place so far in 2011. With spring 2011 possibly being the earliest on record, one school of thought suggests that an early spring will be followed by an early autumn since leaves may have a “shelf-life”. Another believes that trees will remain growing as long as temperatures remain high and water is available.
June 19, 2015

Black diamonds, truffles found near Bradford

A keen gardener in a West Yorkshire village has just made the discovery of a lifetime when truffles, worth hundreds of pounds, appeared in her flowerbed. “I was digging over the flower bed, when my garden fork pierced something solid” explained the plucky gardener who wishes to remain anonymous to prevent people foraging in her garden. Her find was verified by our truffle expert, Dr Paul Thomas “this is a super find of our native British truffle. We’ve never recorded a find from this area before and it’s very exciting”.
June 19, 2015

Free trees for Londoners to create a greener capital

As part of RE:LEAF, a partnership campaign led by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to enable the planting of more trees in the capital, the Woodland Trust is offering 100 free tree packs to help community groups to get planting in their local area.
June 19, 2015

Truffle Seminar

We have an update on the location and dates of the truffles seminar in October. It will be held at Robin Hood Golf Club, Solihull, West Midlands, B92 7DJ on 18thOctober 2011. The seminar is open to all those interested in growing truffles and will be packed with information. If you would like to reserve a ticket for the event please contact us atshop@plantationsystems.com Please be quick as there are limited spaces.
  • Samantha Ellis

    From guidance in orchard establishment, tree supply and management to our own truffle distribution network, we've got all angles covered

    Samantha Ellis
    Business Development
  • Dr Paul Thomas

    Thorough and scientific methodologies, attention to detail and having a committed partner at every step of the way, is the only reliable approach to truffle cultivation

    Dr Paul Thomas
    General Director
  • Daniel Paskin

    With our own genetics lab and research sites in 23 countries, we are truly world-leading in the field

    Daniel Paskin
    Nursery Manager
June 29, 2016

First ever truffle farmed and harvested in Wales

After 8 years of waiting, the first farmed Welsh truffle has just been harvested in southern Wales by an extremely excited cultivator: “I still can’t believe it, I’m over the moon!”. Wishing to remain anonymous, the Welsh orchard owner added: “It’s the most potent perfume I have ever smelt! Better than the ones I’ve bought-in. Wonderful”. The site is on pH-adjusted soil and was planted with English oak, holm oak and hazel, all inoculated with summer truffle. The owner completed some basic truffle-dog training and had moved to using fresh truffle as a scent source on the same day that the cultivated truffle was found. The 38g find known as the Summer or Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum syn. uncinatum) is the first to be cultivated in Wales and adds to MSL’s other successes in truffle cultivation throughout the UK and the world.
April 8, 2016

Climate Change and the Impact on Truffle Supply

Climate change is happening. This we know. But how will climate change impact on truffle production and supply? In this article Dr Thomas discusses how the predicated changes in climate would impact Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum) production.
February 12, 2016

Sniffing out British Truffles

In some of our more recent media coverage join Dr Thomas and two of our partners in Kent as they hunt out truffles with the help of their dog Tally. Listen here.      
November 12, 2015

Macedonia’s first truffle harvest

Black truffles, valued at £1,000/kg have just been cultivated in Macedonia, a country where they do not occur naturally, with the help of British technology. In an impressive example of the export of British technology, four truffles were harvested by Professor Mitko Karadelev from trees inoculated with the black